Automatic eyewear cleaner

ABSTRACT

An automatic eyeglass cleaner is provided in accordance with the invention. A specially formulated cleaning and conditioning solution is also provided for use with the automatic cleaner. A tank in the automatic cleaner is filled with the cleaning and conditioning solution; the eyeglass is folded up and clipped to the bottom of the open lid of the cleaner, then the lid is closed to lower the eyeglass into the solution. The cleaning cycle starts with the push of a button and the eyeglass is agitated in the solution. The cleaning cycle stops automatically after a pre-set time, the lid pops up and any excess solution is shaken off the eyeglass by the cleaner leaving a thin film on the lenses. A microfiber cloth is used to give the lenses a final touch-up that helps fill in microscopic scratches.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/761,839, filed Jan. 21, 2004 entitled “Automatic Eyewear Cleaner”(Attorney Docket No. SHPR-01404US1), which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/490,671, filed Jul. 29, 2003 entitled“Automatic Eyewear Cleaner” (Attorney Docket No. SHPR-01404US0), both ofwhich applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a system and method for cleaningeyewear.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Whether they are for vision correction, vision protection or simply usedas a fashion accessory, eyewear has long been a popular, if notindispensable, personal accessory. There are specialty eyewear whichincludes a wide range of eyeglasses and sunglasses that are designed fora specific purpose, such as computer use, driving, work, hobbies, eyeprotection and more. A huge variety of frames are available forprescription eyeglasses or sunglasses. Not only are there many differentshapes and colors in eyeglass frames, but advances in technology havealso brought a variety of new materials, for both the frames and thelens, which makes eyeglasses more durable, lightweight and comfortable.Eyeglass frames are now created from high-tech materials such astitanium and memory metals, while the lens are now thinner and lighterthan ever before, even for high prescriptions. Lens coatings, includingscratch-resistant coatings, ultraviolet treatments, anti-reflectivecoatings and mirror coatings, are commonly added to the lens to enhancetheir performance and appearance.

These high-tech frames and coated lens are expensive and are worthprotecting. Unfortunately, the lens (even scratch-resistant coatings arenot scratch-proof) can easily be damaged by casual cleanings by thewearer, leaving the lens with a unsightly scratched surface that canhinder vision. As any eyewear user knows, eyewear can require cleaningwith just a short time of wear. Because of the eyewear's close contactto the wearer, body oils, sweat, grime and dead skin cells gets trappedin the lens and frame and accumulate in little time. Dust, dirt andfingerprints on the lens add to this unwanted mess. Further, the metalfinish of frames can corrode and become discolored from prolongedexposure to sweat, which is acidic in nature.

Wiping the eyewear with tissue paper or the corner of a shirt is acommon practice for many eyeglass wearers. However, ordinary tissuepaper and many types of cloths are highly abrasive because of theircoarse fibers. Wiping the lens with these often lead to irreparabledamage to the coating. Small, hard particles such as sand may also bedeposited on the lens, and a simple wiping may be akin to polishing thelens with sandpaper.

Non-abrasive Micro-fiber Towels, with each strand of fiber being made ofhundreds of micro-fibers (on the scale of 90,000 micro-fibers per sq.inch) have been gaining popularity in eyeglass care. These micro-fibersact to attract and hold dirt and grime, and can retain up to seven timesits weight. The cloth used in micro-fiber towels is made of a matrix ofpolyester and polyamide weaved in such a way as to create a “dinginess”that picks up dirt. However, these towels are unable to reach tiny nooksand crannies of the eyeglass frame, and do not counteract the acidiccorrosion of sweat. Further, because the cloths trap and hold grime,they get dirty very quickly and lose their effectiveness withoutfrequent laundering.

Ultrasonic cleaners, such as the one taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,194,have long been known in the field of professional jewelers andoptometrists. The ability of a liquid when ultrasonically agitated topenetrate small spaces and, by cavitation, to remove foreign matter fromsolid objects has led to the wide use of ultrasonic cleaners inlaboratories and industry. However, it is discovered that the use ofultrasonics tends to break down and remove the coating on the lens.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,910 teaches an eyeglass cleaning apparatus with apair of lens engaging rollers made of soft web material mounted on ahandle. A lens is passed between the rollers and the rollers are rotatedto clean the lens simultaneous on both sides. The handle includes a pumpfor spraying cleaning solution on the lens prior to operation. Thisdevice cleans only one lens at a time, and requires constant movement bythe user to cover all corners of a lens. Further, it is not designedspecifically with cleaning the frame in mind.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An automatic, motorized eyewear cleaner is provided in accordance withan embodiment of the invention. The cleaner can clean practically anypair of eyeglasses by agitating them in a specially formulated cleaningsolution, and then automatically drying them. The entire process fromstart to finish should take only about one minute.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an automaticdevice that can effectively and safely clean all manner of eyewear,regardless of whether the frame is plastic or metal, whether the lensare glass or plastic, or whether the lenses are coated or not. Thedevice should be able to clean most shapes and sizes of frames and lens.

It is a related object of this invention to provide an automatic devicethat is small and compact, yet can receive and clean virtually allavailable eyewear.

It is a related object of this invention to provide a speciallyformulated solution for use in conjunction with the automatic devicethat is safe to materials and coatings used in eyewear that woulddissolve dirt and grime on the eyewear and leave a chemical coat thatfills in micro-scratches on the lens.

A further object is to have this chemical coat be anti-static to act asa repellent to dust particles.

A related object is to have the solution make the eyewear feel cool andrefreshing to the wearer when they are put on after cleaning.

Another related object is for the solution to counteract the effects ofcorrosion caused by sweat.

It is another object of this invention to provide an automatic devicethat can effectively clean eyewear in the specially formulated solutionand then substantially dry the eyewear, in sixty seconds or less.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an automatic devicethat is easy to operate and to maintain.

A related object of the invention to provide a device that is economicalto operate, even with frequent use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pleasing display oflights while the eyeglass is being cleaned.

The above and related objects are addressed by embodiments of theinstant invention. In the following discussion, the terms eyeglasses,eyewear, glasses will have the same meaning, and refer to a commonconfiguration comprising a frame, lens, nose rests, hinges, and earpieces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an exterior of anautomatic eyewear cleaner according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, froma different angle, with a lid open and showing the removable tankunderneath, with a pair of eyewear attached.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show side views of a removable holding clip of anembodiment of the invention in open and closed positions respectively.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the cleaner of an embodiment of theinvention, with a solution tank removed.

FIG. 5 shows a cut-away perspective view of the cleaner of an embodimentof the invention from the back of the unit.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective isolation view of the mechanical parts of anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-section view of an embodiment of the inventiontaken through line 7-7 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a cover for a solution tank of anembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An automatic eyeglass cleaner is provided in accordance with anembodiment of the invention. A specially formulated cleaning andconditioning solution is also provided for use with the automaticcleaner. A tank in the automatic cleaner is filled with the cleaning andconditioning solution; the eyewear is folded up and clipped to thebottom of the open lid of the cleaner, then the lid is closed to lowerthe eyewear into the solution. The cleaning cycle starts with the pushof a button and the eyewear is agitated in the solution. The cleaningcycle stops automatically after a pre-set time, the lid pops up and anyexcess solution is shaken off the eyewear by the cleaner leaving a thinfilm on the lenses. A microfiber cloth is used to polish the lenses aquick final touch-up that helps fill in microscopic scratches. The wholeprocess from start to finish should take only about one minute.

In FIG. 1, the exterior of an automatic eyewear cleaner (“cleaner”) 10is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaner 10 has a generallyoval configuration. However, any configuration, which is pleasing inappearance, would be suitable. The cleaner has a lid 11 which pivotallyopens upwards. The lid 11 covers the removable solution tank 13 intowhich the cleaning and conditioning solution is filled. In theembodiment shown, the tank fits in the general profile of the cleanerwhen installed. The tank is made to be removable from the cleaner foreasy cleaning and disposal of spent cleaning solution. The housing ofthe cleaner 14 houses the electronics and motor, and has operatingcontrols 15. The controls shown, in the form of buttons 15 a and 15 b,opens the lid, and turns the cleaner on and off.

FIG. 2 shows the cleaner, from a different angle, with its lid 11 openand showing the removable tank 13 underneath. The tank slides out in thedirection of arrow 21. A small storage compartment 13 a can be madeintegral with the tank. An exemplary pair of eyeglasses 23 is shown inthis diagram. A removable holder clip 24 for clipping the eyeglasses 23is removeably attached to a receptacle 25 on an agitator arm 26. Thelid, shown here in its open configuration, should become (and remain)fully open at an angle sufficient for easy attachment and detachment ofthe clip and eyeglasses, with the tank filled and attached to thecleaner. The lid should remain open even with the full weight of theclip and eyeglasses attached to it, until the user presses down on thelid to close it. During the drying cycle, the lid opens, and raises theglasses above the solution, until the user is ready to retrieve them.The lid opening and closing mechanism and the agitator arm is describedfurther below.

Fill lines on the tank show a recommended minimum fill level and maximumfill level the solution should be filled to. A minimum level 28 a is setso that the solution will cover the entire eyeglasses when the lid isclosed to lower the eyeglasses into the solution tank. The maximum filllevel 28 b shows the maximum amount of solution that should be filled,in order to avoid spillage and splattering when the device is inoperation and when the filled solution tank is removed for disposal ofspent solution. A cover 81 (see FIG. 8) can also be used to seal thetank so the solution would not spill during transportation to and from asink.

In FIG. 3 a, a removable holding clip is shown in its closedconfiguration. The clip is ordinarily held shut by a spring 30, andopens when pressure is applied to the handles 31 a, 31 b. When in theopen position shown in FIG. 3 b, the clip can receive a pair ofeyeglasses by positioning the clip over the nose bridge of a folded pairof eyeglasses. When pressure is removed, the clips close and hold theeyeglasses through retention means, such as rows of rubber teeth shownas 32 a and 32 b. The clip has a finger grip area 34 on the lower handle31 a to facilitate easy loading and unloading of the clip into thecleaner without applying pressure to both handles, which would open theclip and release the glasses.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a magnet and metalcombination is used to attach the clip (and the glasses held by theclip) to the receptacle on the agitator arm to allow for easy placementof the eyeglasses into the cleaner. A magnet or metal piece 33 a is madeintegral with an attachment part 33 on the clip, with a correspondingmagnet or metal piece on a receptacle integral with the agitator arm.The clip will be magnetically drawn to the receptacle when in proximityto it, and the shape of the receptacle, which matches the attachmentmeans on the clip, will ensure a secure fit. The magnet should be ofsufficient strength to hold the clip loaded with eyeglasses throughoutthe cleaning and drying cycles, until the user removes the clip bysimply pulling on it to disengage the magnet.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the cleaner, with the solution tank removedand the cleaner lid not shown. Slots 41 slidably receive matching partson the tank to ensure the tank is properly seated when loaded into thecleaner. The clip 24 is shown magnetically secured to the receptacle 25.The receptacle is integral with the agitator arm 26, which extends intothe cleaner housing 14 and forms a motor housing 27 for the motor 28(described in detail below).

FIG. 5 shows a cut-away view of the cleaner housing from the back. Thearm is aligned but not connected to the cleaner lid, with both beingpivotally mounted along the same axis, 51. The arm is designed to beseparate from the lid so that when the lid is closed and the agitatorarm is vibrated to agitate the eyeglasses in solution, the vibrationspassing directly to the lid is minimized. The cleaner, thus, remainsrelatively stable on a flat surface as it is operated, because thevibrations from the agitation is kept internal to the cleaner.

Refer now to FIG. 6, which shows in isolation the mechanical parts ofthe cleaner, and FIG. 7, which shows a cross-section of the unit.Direction arrow 60 in both diagrams designate the front of the unit. Thecleaner lid 11 is pivotally mounted at 62 on two damper torsionalsprings 63, with the torsional springs secured with screws 64 onto thecleaner housing along axis 51 (see FIG. 6). The torsional springs exerttension to hold the lid in its open position. A part of the lid aft ofthe axis 51 extends inside the housing and forms a curved surface 11 b,which slopes downwards. The lid pivots around axis 51 as the lid israised and lowered, and the curved surface moves in oppositerelationship with the front of the lid. When the front of the lid ispushed down to close the lid, the curved surface pivot upwards and itsend clicks onto a spring-loaded catch 70 and the lid is held closed (seeFIG. 7). A raised rubber divot 61 a on the agitator arm, mounted forwardof axis 51, pushes down on the arm as the lid is closed and lowers theclip and the eyeglasses (not shown) into the solution tank. Button 15 a,which is depressed to open the lid, is integral with a push-rod 15 whichextends downwards to come in contact with the catch. Depressing button15 a pushes down on the rod, which would release the catch and allowcurved surface 11 c to pivot downwards (from the tension exerted by thedamper torsional springs 62), thus raising the front of the lid. As thelid opens, it exerts pressure on raised rubber divot 61 b on theagitator arm positioned aft of the axis 51, and raises the agitator armto lift the eyewear out of the solution. In order to eliminate splatteras the eyewear is lifted, the damper torsional springs can be immersedin thick viscosity lubrication so that when the lid opens, it does sogradually.

As mentioned above, the agitator arm 26 extends into the cleaner housing14 and is integral with a motor housing 27, which holds the motor 28.The motor housing and motor is positioned aft of axis 51. Refer to FIG.5, when the agitator arm pivots around axis 51 as it is raised andlowered, the motor, being held by motor housing 27, moves in oppositerelationship to the front receptacle end of the arm. Refer to FIG. 7,the motor, held by the motor housing, remains integral with the agitatorarm at all times, whether the agitator arm is raised or lowered.

In a preferred embodiment, the motor is powered by common DC batteries71 which are inserted into the cleaner housing 14 through a door on thebottom. Referring back to FIG. 5, the motor rotates a shaft 54 whichextends out of the sides of the motor, and onto which weights 55 areeccentrically mounted on each side. When the motor is turned on, strong,rhythmic vibrations are produced by the weights rotating off-center athigh speed. The vibrations are directly transferred through the motorhousing and onto the agitator arm, including the front receptacle. Whenthe clip and eyeglasses are loaded onto the receptacle, they arevibrated as well. In a preferred embodiment, the motor should operate atabout 1300 rpm, which is well below ultrasonic range, but stillsufficient to produce strong agitation when the eyeglasses are in thecleaning solution, and sufficient to substantially shake dry theeyeglasses when they are raised from the solution. In a preferredembodiment of the invention, during the cleaning and drying cycles justdescribed, the motor continues to operate uninterrupted at the samespeed, with the difference being whether the front of the agitator armis lowered or raised.

Once the lid is closed to lower the eyeglasses into the solution tank,the user depresses button 15 a to begin the automatic cleaningprocedure. Referring back to FIG. 6, button 15 a depresses an electricalcontact 67 to activate electronic timing circuitry 67, turning on themotor. In an alternative embodiment, a mechanical or electromechanicaltimer can also be used. During the cleaning cycle, the motor operatesfor a preset amount of time and agitates the glasses in the solution. Ina preferred embodiment, the cleaning cycles lasts about 40-50 seconds,which is sufficient time for the cleaning and condition solution tosubstantially dissolve and/or remove the dirt and grime from the frameand lens. At the expiration of this amount of time, the timing circuitbegins the drying cycle and triggers an electromagnet 81 located in thehousing, which attracts a metal piece 70 a integral with the releasablecatch 70. This pulls the catch backwards towards the electromagnet andreleases the curved end 11 b of the lid, and the front of the lid israised due to the tension exerted by the torsion springs. As discussedpreviously, the agitator arm (and the clip with eyeglasses attached toit) is raised out of the solution by the opening lid. The lid pivotsaround axis 51 until the front of the lid is stopped by edge 14 a, withthe lid remaining in its fully open configuration and the glasses heldabove the solution tank. The agitator arm continues to vibrate in thisraised position, and the wet eyeglass is shaken substantially dry.Solution dripping from the eyeglasses is collected by the solution tankand can be re-used in future cleanings. In a preferred embodiment, thedrying cycle lasts about 10-20 seconds, after which the timing circuitturns the motor off. Note that from the beginning of the cleaning cycleto the end of the drying cycle, the motor remains running uninterrupted.

In another embodiment of the invention, the electronic timing circuitrycan also control the timing of LCD or LED lights 45 (see FIG. 4)positioned in the housing behind the solution tank and shine through thesolution to create a pleasing lightshow. In this embodiment, the cleanershould be made of a transparent or translucent material for the light toshine through.

In a preferred embodiment, the novel cleaning and conditioning solutionfor use with the automatic eyeglass cleaner described above is comprisedof deionized water, Berol 226, Triethanolamine 99,Hydroxymethylglycinate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Mono-oleate, acidblue 9 and Polydimethylsiloxane Emulsion. See Table 1 for the percentageby weight of each ingredient in a preferred embodiment. TABLE IINGREDIENT PERCENT W/W Deionized Water 61.4 Berol 226 (Akzo Nobel) 7.5Triethanolamine 99 10.5 Hydroxymethylglycinate 3 Isopropyl Alcohol 2.5Sorbitan Mono-oleate 5 1% Acid Blue 9 0.1 Polydimethylsiloxane Emulsion10

Berol SA is a blend of a nonionic and cationic surfactant optimized foruse in water based degreasing cleaners. It is efficient for cleaningorganic soils, such as grease and oil. Triethanolamine 99% is formedfrom the reaction of ethylene oxide and ammonia. It is miscible withwater and alcohol and makes the solution alkaline, and improved greaseremoval and the compatibility of the ingredients. A biocide, the aqueoussolution of Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is derived from Glycine—anaturally occurring amino acid. It has broad spectrum antimicrobialactivity and is effective against bacteria and fungi. Isopropyl Alcohol,also known as IPA, 2-propanol and isopropanol, is a colorless clearliquid with a pleasant odor. It is a good dehydrating agent anddisinfectant. Sorbitan Mono-oleate is a light amber-color surfactantthat is used as an nonionic lipophilic surface active agent. It is anemulsion stabilizer. The aqueous emulsion of polydimethylsiloxane is ananti-fogging agent and gives the eyewear a slick feel. It is arelatively inert, and is easy to dilute and disperse and is effectiveover a wide range of temperature and pH conditions. Acid Blue 9, alsoknown as Brilliant Blue FCF, C.I. Acid Blue 9, diammonium salt, C.I.Acid Blue 9, and disodium salt, is a widely used food dye. It comes in areddish-violet powder or granules with metallic luster.

The solution is manufactured by adding the above ingredients in thefollowing order: deionized water, Berol 226, Triethanolamine 99,Hydroxymethylglycinate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Mono-oleate. Themixture is mixed until all the ingredients are dissolved and uniform.Next, 1% Acid Blue 9 is added to the solution and mixed.Polydimethylsiloxane emulsion is then added while the solution continuesto be mixed, and the solution should be mixed for at least anotherfifteen (15) minutes to obtain the final solution in concentrate formhaving a pH of 9.2-10.2 and a specific gravity of 1.018-1.024 (gm/ml).The concentrate is to be diluted approximately 1:32 with ordinary tapwater to obtain a cleaning solution for use in the cleaner.

The cleaning solution has the properties of being able to emulsify anddissolve body oils, dirt and grime deposited on the frame and lens.Further, the solution will form a thin film on surfaces it comes intocontact with, especially the lens of the eyeglasses. This film can fillin micro-cracks and scratches on the surface of the lens and coating,and helps in restoring the surface of the lens.

After the drying cycle is complete, the frame and lens of the glassesshould be substantially dry, with the thin film of silicone deposited onthe lens. The user reaches into the open lid, and grabs the clip withhis fingers. A simple pull will disengage the magnet holding the clip tothe receptacle on the agitator arm, and the loaded clip is removed fromthe cleaner. The handles of the clip are depressed to release theeyeglasses. Finally, a micro-fiber cloth is used to briefly polish anddry the lens, a quick final touch-up that helps the silicon fill inmicroscopic scratches. The sparkling-clean glasses are now ready towear.

It will be appreciated that the instant specification, drawings andclaims set forth by way of illustration and not limitation, and thatvarious modification and changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention. Additional aspects, objectsand advantages of the invention can be obtained through a review of theappendant claims and figures. It is to be understood that otherembodiments can be fabricated and come within the spirit and scope ofthe claims and the invention.

1. An eyeglass cleaner comprising: a. a solution tank adapted to hold acleaning solution; b. an arm capable of holding the eyeglass and beingselectively movable between a lowered position and a raised position,wherein the arm holds the eyeglass in the solution tank when in thelowered position; and c. a motor coupled to the arm, wherein the motoris capable of directly vibrating the arm in the lowered position in acleaning mode and directly vibrating the arm in the raised position in adrying mode.
 2. The cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a timercoupled to the motor, wherein the timer operates the motor for a setamount of cleaning time in the cleaning mode.
 3. The cleaner of claim 2wherein the timer operates the motor for a set amount of drying time inthe drying mode.
 4. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein the arm furthercomprises a clip adapted to selectively hold the eyeglass, the clipbeing detachably coupled to the arm.
 5. The cleaner of claim 4 whereinthe clip is detachably coupled to the arm by a magnet mechanism.
 6. Thecleaner of claim 4 wherein the clip further comprises: a. an upperhandle having a first retention feature; and b. a lower handle coupledto the upper handle and having a second retention feature, wherein thefirst and second retention features are urged to grasp the eyeglasstherebetween, the clip being actuatable to selectively release theeyeglass by applying pressure to the lower handle.
 7. The cleaner ofclaim 6 wherein the clip further comprises a set of gripping teeth onthe first and second retention features.
 8. The cleaner of claim 7wherein the gripping teeth are made of rubber.
 9. The cleaner of claim 1wherein the solution tank is removable.
 10. The cleaner of claim 1further comprising a storage receptacle.
 11. The cleaner of claim 1further comprising a lid that pivotably moves between an open and aclosed position.
 12. The cleaner of claim 11 wherein the lidautomatically moves from the closed position to the open position aftera set amount of cleaning time.
 13. The cleaner of claim 11 wherein thelid is biased to be in the open position.
 14. The cleaner of claim 11wherein the lid and the arm are configured to pivot about an axis. 15.The cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a lighting element positionedwithin the cleaner.
 16. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein the motorcontinually vibrates the arm while the arm moves between the lowered andraised positions.
 17. An eyeglass cleaner comprising: a. a housing; b. asolution tank coupled to the housing; c. an arm adapted to hold theeyeglass, the arm moveable between a raised position and a loweredposition, wherein the arm is positioned within the solution tank in thelowered position and above the solution tank in the raised position; andd. a motor within the housing, wherein the motor directly moves the armin a repeated back and forth motion in the lowered position in acleaning mode and the raised position in a drying mode.
 18. The cleanerof claim 17 further comprising a timer coupled to the motor, wherein thetimer operates the motor for a set amount of cleaning time in thecleaning mode.
 19. The cleaner of claim 18 wherein the timer operatesthe motor for a set amount of drying time in the drying mode.
 20. Thecleaner of claim 17 wherein the arm further comprises a clip adapted toselectively hold the eyeglass, the clip being detachably coupled to thearm.
 21. The cleaner of claim 20 wherein the clip is detachably coupledto the arm by a magnet mechanism.
 22. The cleaner of claim 21 whereinthe clip further comprises: a. an upper handle having a first retentionfeature; and b. a lower handle coupled to the upper handle and having asecond retention feature, wherein the first and second retentionfeatures are urged to grasp the eyeglass therebetween, the clip beingactuatable to selectively release the eyeglass by applying pressure tothe lower handle.
 23. The cleaner of claim 22 wherein the clip furthercomprises a set of gripping teeth on the first and second retentionfeatures.
 24. The cleaner of claim 23 wherein the gripping teeth aremade of rubber.
 25. The cleaner of claim 17 wherein the solution tank isremovably coupled to the housing.
 26. The cleaner of claim 17 furthercomprising a lid that pivotably moves between an open and a closedposition.
 27. The cleaner of claim 26 wherein the lid automaticallymoves from the closed position to the open position after a set amountof cleaning time.
 28. The cleaner of claim 26 wherein the lid is biasedto be in the open position.
 29. The cleaner of claim 17 furthercomprising a lighting element positioned within the housing.
 30. Thecleaner of claim 17 wherein the motor continually moves the arm in theback and forth motion while the arm moves between the lowered and raisedpositions.
 31. A cleaner to clean and dry an eyeglass comprising: a. asolution tank; b. a clip adapted to hold the eyeglass within thesolution tank in a lowered position and above the solution tank in araised position, the clip having a first and second handle operativelyconnected to a first and second grasping mechanism to hold the eyeglass,the first and second grasping mechanism adapted to selectively releasethe eyeglass by actuating the first handle toward the second handle; andc. a motor to directly move the clip in a repeated back and forth motionin the lowered position and the raised position.
 32. The cleaner ofclaim 31 wherein the clip further comprises a set of gripping teeth onthe first and second retention features.
 33. The cleaner of claim 32wherein the gripping teeth are made of rubber.
 34. The cleaner of claim31 further comprising a timer coupled to the motor, wherein the timeroperates the motor for a set amount of cleaning time in a cleaning mode,wherein at least a portion of the clip is in the liquid in the cleaningmode.
 35. The cleaner of claim 34 wherein the timer operates the motorfor a set amount of drying time in a drying mode, wherein the clip isabove the liquid in the drying mode.
 36. The cleaner of claim 31comprising a lid that pivotably moves between an open and a closedposition.
 37. The cleaner of claim 36 wherein the lid automaticallymoves from the closed position to the open position after a set amountof cleaning time.
 38. The cleaner of claim 36 wherein the clipcorrespondingly moves with the lid from the closed position to the openposition after the set amount of cleaning time.
 39. The cleaner of claim31 further comprising a lighting element positioned within the housing.40. The cleaner of claim 31 wherein the motor continually moves the clipin the back and forth motion while the clip is moved between the loweredand raised positions.
 41. An eyeglass cleaner comprising: a. a cleaningsolution tank; b. an arm movable between a first position in thecleaning solution tank and a second position out of the cleaningsolution tank; and c. a clip magnetically coupled to the arm and havinga plurality of teeth capable of grasping the eyeglass, the clip beingactuatable to selectively grasp and release the eyeglass.
 42. Thecleaner of claim 41 wherein the teeth are made of rubber.
 43. Aneyeglass cleaner comprising: a. a cleaning solution tank; b. an armmovable between a first position in the cleaning solution tank and asecond position out of the cleaning solution tank; and c. a clipremovably magnetically coupled to the arm, the clip further comprising:i. an upper handle having a first retention feature; and ii. a lowerhandle coupled to the upper handle and having a second retentionfeature, wherein the first and second retention features are urged tograsp the eyeglass therebetween, the clip being actuatable toselectively release the eyeglass by applying pressure to the lowerhandle.
 44. The cleaner of claim 43 wherein the clip further comprises aset of gripping teeth on the first and second retention features. 45.The cleaner of claim 44 wherein the gripping teeth are made of rubber.